The Handmaid’s Tale: How a 30-Year-Old Story Became 2017’s Most Vital Series

Even Margaret Atwood couldn’t have predicted Uber. So Hulu’s adaptation of her 1985 dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale—which takes place not in 1980-something, but an alt-universe present day—had to integrate a few additional nods to the way we live now. Some are trivial—like a passing mention of Tinder—and others are much bigger, like the revelation that the series’s version of handmaid Ofglen was once married to a woman, with whom she had a son. And while some additions are quieter than others, these updates have the cumulative effect of making Hulu’s version of the story feel especially tangible, even though it debuts more than 30 years after its source material was published.

Surprisingly enough, one of the most foundational parts of the novel’s lore remains topical today: in the TV series, just as in the novel, an insurgent government declares martial law after an attack they blame on Islamic extremists. But other details got a face-lift: in the book, Offred—played by Elisabeth Moss in the series—wrote a college paper about date rape. In the series, it’s about campus sexual assault instead.

One of the series’s biggest changes was revealed before the show even premiered. In the original book, Offred’s rebellious friend Moira is white by default; the insurgent government has driven all people of color out of the nation they’ve re-dubbed Gilead, resettling them out West. But in this version, Moira is played by Orange Is the New Black alum Samira Wiley, who is black. (Executive producer Bruce Millerexplained the decision by saying that although sending away people of color may have worked on the page, it’s less palatable to audiences on-screen; he also decided while crafting the show “that fertility trumped everything,” even racism.) Wiley told Vanity Fair that the reaction to her casting was about what you’d expect: “You’ve got people who think it’s a wonderful idea, and that it’s going to be so cool, and then you’ve got people—I don’t know, let’s just call them ‘purists’—who are not happy that the story has ‘changed.’ ”

And to Wiley, making Moira black fundamentally changes who the character is—for the better. “There are things that she has to deal with—and things that people of African-American descent have always had to deal with,” Wiley noted—things that people of caucasian descent cannot relate to. Adding that dimension to her character imbues her with even more depth.

When asked what facets of Moira she connects with most, Wiley noted Moira’s fierce ability to stand up for what she believes is right.

“I want to be able to—and I think I have, more so as I grow through this journey of being in the public consciousness—to be able to be a voice for the people who are forgotten,” Wiley said. “For the people who are minorities. For the people who don’t have a voice. And be, you know, even just a small thing that I don’t think is that radical, but in our time is radical, of being able to just be a visible member of the L.G.B.T. community. And I think that, in and of itself, is a very, very strong and important thing to do.”

Wiley came to the show fresh off her four-season run as fan favorite Poussey Washington on O.I.T.N.B. She is not the only Handmaid strongly associated with a previous role: Moss is best known for her Emmy-nominated turn as the fiercely feminist Peggy Olson from Mad Men. And Alexis Bledel, who plays Ofglen, is still mostly identified with the parts she played as a teenager and young adult: Rory Gilmore in Gilmore Girls, and Lena in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants films. Though Wiley and Moss’s characters are in line with their previous work, Bledel is playing against-type role as an acerbic rebel—and she does so with gusto.

As for making Ofglen a lesbian, Atwood told V.F., “It’s very ‘now.’ In the book, we don’t hear too much about [Ofglen]. In the series, she’s, number one: gay, [and] number two: she had a wife. You couldn’t have said that in 1985. It wouldn’t have made any sense. People weren’t talking that way. But they are now, so that makes sense.” Similarly, Atwood said that casting a black actor (O-T Fagbenle) as Offred’s husband is another nod to the times. She added that interracial marriages and children are more common now than they were in 1985.

Of course, the main factor that makes The Handmaid‘s Tale particularly topical is a development its creators didn’t see coming: Donald Trump’s presidency. Much has been made of how the project seems more significant now than ever, but perhaps no one felt that shift more acutely than the actors and writers tasked with bringing it to life.

As they set about making the show, Wiley said that everyone thought they were making a harrowing tale about how our nation could have fallen to religious extremism and misogyny. Instead, after November 9, they realized they were now making something entirely different: “Coming back to the show, it was. . . ‘Oh my gosh, we have an even bigger responsibility now.’ To have this show be excellent, have it have all the integrity it should have.”

Now, Wiley notes, Offred’s story is not a tale of what could have been—but instead a tale of what could happen to women’s rights if we’re not careful.

How can we avoid the emergence of a harrowing totalitarian state like Gilead? Atwood recommends voting in every possible election, and never becoming complacent. “I’m counting on America to be true to its ornery self,” she said. “Its ornery and diverse self.”

C.J. Cregg, The West Wing

Who could forget Allison Janney’s shrewd, sharp-tongued West Wing character? There’s a whole lot Spicer could learn from C.J., including how to regale everyone by lip synching Ronny Jordan’s ”The Jackal.” Cregg was poised, and always operated well under fire. Sure, Spicer is under a lot of pressure—but remember that C.J. was at one point dealing with death threats so bad that a Secret Service agent was assigned to protect her.

Photo: by Mitch Haddad/NBC/Getty Images.

Mike McLintock, Veep

Let’s be clear: Matt Walsh’s character is far from an admirable press secretary. (Is anyone on Veep actually good at their job?) He’s lazy, malcontent, and overall incompetent. But at the very least, he is also outstandingly loyal to Selina Meyer—which exposes him to a lot of humiliation, but also basically guarantees his spot by her side. Spicer could also use Mike as an example in another regard: it’s the president and his or her administration that’s supposed to make the messes. The press secretary himself isn’t supposed to be the one causing P.R. problems.

Photo: By Lacey Terrell/HBO.

Abby Whelan, Scandal

Another ace press secretary? Abby Whelan, as portrayed by Darby Stanchfield on Scandal. Abby’s the one who once saved the day by yanking the president, Fitzgerald Grant, out of an interview with the First Lady just as Olivia Pope was about to confess to being his mistress. Abby’s silver-tongued lie is a sight to behold, as she tells reporters that a suspected intruder has triggered security profiles that require them to empty the room mid-interview. Thanks to Abby, the reporters were all gone by the time the First Lady caught a glimpse of Olivia’s confession.

Photo: by Byron Cohen/ABC/Getty Images.

Seth Wright, Designated Survivor

To put it bluntly, Seth Wright is what every press secretary aspires to be. Originally a speech writer, Seth (Kal Penn) came through in the clutch when new president Tom Kirkman’s originally appointed press secretary failed—delivering a home-run performance to the very reporters who had just chased the actual press secretary away from the podium. Beyond simply knowing his way around the issues, Seth is well-spoken and knows how to command a room. It’s no wonder that before long, he became one of Tom’s closest advisers. To borrow a word beloved by our real-life press secretary, he is “phenomenal.”

Photo: By Ben Mark Holzberg/ABC/Getty Images.

Marshall Malloy, 1600 Penn

While 1600 Penn came and went on NBC, Andre Holland’s press secretary character, Marshall Malloy, quickly established himself as intelligent and passionate about his role in the White House. He was like family to president Dale Gilchrist (Bill Pullman), which sometimes meant he found himself trying to, say, coach the president’s son Skip (Josh Gad) on how to record a simple 30-minute statement. Granted, usually things went awry no matter what Marshall did—but he’s a lesson in perseverance (and sharp dressing), if nothing else.

Photo: By Byron Cohen/NBC/Getty Images.

Jenny Dodge, 24

First of all, hats off to Tamlyn Tomita’s24 character for having the best surname for any press secretary, real or fictional. The Season 2 character lived up to that name by deflecting press questions about a potential nuclear threat in Los Angeles. Could Spicer pull off a similar feat?

Sean Spicer, Saturday Night Live

Yes: technically, Sean Spicer already is Sean Spicer. But there’s a lot he could learn from the version of himself played by Melissa McCarthy on S.N.L. At least that Sean Spicer is funny on purpose—and comes prepared with a water gun. If you’re going to give an unhinged performance, the least you can do is make people laugh.

Photo: by Will Heath/NBC/Getty Images.

C.J. Cregg, The West Wing

Who could forget Allison Janney’s shrewd, sharp-tongued West Wing character? There’s a whole lot Spicer could learn from C.J., including how to regale everyone by lip synching Ronny Jordan’s ”The Jackal.” Cregg was poised, and always operated well under fire. Sure, Spicer is under a lot of pressure—but remember that C.J. was at one point dealing with death threats so bad that a Secret Service agent was assigned to protect her.

by Mitch Haddad/NBC/Getty Images.

Mike McLintock, Veep

Let’s be clear: Matt Walsh’s character is far from an admirable press secretary. (Is anyone on Veep actually good at their job?) He’s lazy, malcontent, and overall incompetent. But at the very least, he is also outstandingly loyal to Selina Meyer—which exposes him to a lot of humiliation, but also basically guarantees his spot by her side. Spicer could also use Mike as an example in another regard: it’s the president and his or her administration that’s supposed to make the messes. The press secretary himself isn’t supposed to be the one causing P.R. problems.

By Lacey Terrell/HBO.

Abby Whelan, Scandal

Another ace press secretary? Abby Whelan, as portrayed by Darby Stanchfield on Scandal. Abby’s the one who once saved the day by yanking the president, Fitzgerald Grant, out of an interview with the First Lady just as Olivia Pope was about to confess to being his mistress. Abby’s silver-tongued lie is a sight to behold, as she tells reporters that a suspected intruder has triggered security profiles that require them to empty the room mid-interview. Thanks to Abby, the reporters were all gone by the time the First Lady caught a glimpse of Olivia’s confession.

by Byron Cohen/ABC/Getty Images.

Seth Wright, Designated Survivor

To put it bluntly, Seth Wright is what every press secretary aspires to be. Originally a speech writer, Seth (Kal Penn) came through in the clutch when new president Tom Kirkman’s originally appointed press secretary failed—delivering a home-run performance to the very reporters who had just chased the actual press secretary away from the podium. Beyond simply knowing his way around the issues, Seth is well-spoken and knows how to command a room. It’s no wonder that before long, he became one of Tom’s closest advisers. To borrow a word beloved by our real-life press secretary, he is “phenomenal.”

By Ben Mark Holzberg/ABC/Getty Images.

Seth Grayson, House of Cards

Hey, there’s no rule that states you can’t learn something from the conniving—and if there’s one lesson Spicer could take away from Derek Cecil’s turn as the calculating Seth Grayson on House of Cards, it’s that composure is key. Seth knows how to play things cool and keep his personal feelings under wraps—which serves him well, as even three seasons after meeting him, we still don’t really know him. Spicer could look to him as an example of how to mask personal feelings—especially stress.

Marshall Malloy, 1600 Penn

While 1600 Penn came and went on NBC, Andre Holland’s press secretary character, Marshall Malloy, quickly established himself as intelligent and passionate about his role in the White House. He was like family to president Dale Gilchrist (Bill Pullman), which sometimes meant he found himself trying to, say, coach the president’s son Skip (Josh Gad) on how to record a simple 30-minute statement. Granted, usually things went awry no matter what Marshall did—but he’s a lesson in perseverance (and sharp dressing), if nothing else.

By Byron Cohen/NBC/Getty Images.

Jenny Dodge, 24

First of all, hats off to Tamlyn Tomita’s24 character for having the best surname for any press secretary, real or fictional. The Season 2 character lived up to that name by deflecting press questions about a potential nuclear threat in Los Angeles. Could Spicer pull off a similar feat?

Sean Spicer, Saturday Night Live

Yes: technically, Sean Spicer already is Sean Spicer. But there’s a lot he could learn from the version of himself played by Melissa McCarthy on S.N.L. At least that Sean Spicer is funny on purpose—and comes prepared with a water gun. If you’re going to give an unhinged performance, the least you can do is make people laugh.